


Boarding School for Strange Individuals

by bananagoose



Series: Boarding School for Strange Individuals [1]
Category: Beetlejuice (1988), Corpse Bride (2005), Dark Shadows (2012), Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: Crossover, F/F, F/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-03-21 08:21:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3685044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananagoose/pseuds/bananagoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The children of several iconic pairings from Tim Burton movies all wind up in the same house in a boarding school. This story follows the daughter of Beetlejuice and of Edward Scissorhands through the mysteries and adventures at their new school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I'm glad you decided to read this story and I hope you enjoy it, I hope you comment what you think and depending on its success, more will be out soon. Thank you!

Mrs. Peters sat at her desk, waiting desperately for someone to call. She was actually just waiting for nine o’ clock so that she could close the office then go to her room and read a romance novel with a man with a ponytail on the cover.  
She glanced at the large marble clock hanging over her head reading 8:37. She felt like it had been 8:37 for hours. She held up stack of paper across from the phone and tapped it against the linoleum counter top; one of her favorite activities on particularly slow days. She let out a gentle sigh and pushed the salt and pepper hair out of her face.  
Just then, the phone rang loudly, and she answered snapped into action and answered it swiftly, excited to finally do something.  
“Hello,” Her voice croaked, only because she hadn’t talked since lunch.  
“Hello there, I’m Peg Boggs, Parker Boggs is my granddaughter,” An overly cheerful voice resonated through the receiver.  
Mrs. Peters picked through the skinny pile of manila folders and found the file for miss Parker Boggs, 17. “Ah, yes, Parker was an eagerly awaiting response,” Mrs. Peters said as she examined the girl's application photo.  
“Yes, well she will be attending your school. Though my granddaughter does have some... rather specific accommodations.” Peg went on.  
“We are aware of her condition. This school is designed to help all strange students be just like everyone else.” She responded, choosing her words carefully.  
“Yes, well... I figured I might as well make sure!" Peg told her. Mrs. Peters could hear her smile through the receiver.   
There was a pause, both women were trying to think of what to say to keep the other engaged in the conversation. “Are you speaking regarding the fact that her father was a man made, non-organic creature and that five of her ten fingers are sharp metal shards?" Mrs. Peters recited from Parker's case, "Because that is the reason this school is so eager to have her,”   
“Free, for your circumstance.” Mrs. Peters explained.  
“Oh well then great! Great. Thank you!" She chirped.  
“Orientation is next Friday; I will e-mail you all additional information. Mrs. Peters said.”  
The call ended, and Mrs. Peters put a red check mark on the corner of Parker's profile. She smiled as the clock struck nine.


	2. Chapter 2

It was Friday, and, as per usual, Parker was annoyed. She and her family were in a hotel room. As Peg was busy spackling makeup over her granddaughters’ scars, Mr. Boggs was reading the paper, and their son, Kevin, was using Parker's hand as a pencil sharpener. The sharpening tickled Parker, and she let out a kiddish giggle.

“Kevin, goodness gracious, please just leave the poor girl alone,” Peg scolded as she slaved over Parker's pale face.

“Mom, come on, she’s cool with it,” Kevin said as he finished whittling his pencil and backed up to the hotel bed.

“It’s distracting her,” Peg said.

“From what?” Parker intervened.

“You need to focus on your…self! On projecting and air of positivity and making new friends" Peg told her as she moved on to Parkers mess of stringy, mousy black hair.

Parker rolled her eyes. “What if I don’t want to be normal? At least I’m useful,” She said, holding up the shiny blades welded to her hands. Kevin lifted his pencil in agreement.

“Parker, your whole life we tried to make you seem normal-” Peg began.

“By hiding me from the world!” She interjected, pulling away from Peg and taking the berets out of her hair.

Peg turned around. “Oh goodness, I said the wrong thing. Honey, remember what we talked about. Try to recognize when you're being dramatic versus actually being upset." Peg said.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Parker yelled.

She threw her arms up in exasperation arms walked away from Peg. Parker had accidentally brushed her fingers against Kevin's arm hanging off the side of the bed, and only noticed when he let out an abrupt "ow." Parker noticed she had hurt him.

The three looked at each other in anticipation, each waiting for one of the others to react or say something. Mr. Boggs lifted his head from the newspaper at the sound of the tension.

“Come on, Parker, let’s go” Kevin said, cautiously grabbing her small wrist. The two stormed out of the room and slammed the door.

“She’s so insane,” Parker said as they stormed out of the lobby.

“I know, and I’m freaking twenty eight so I had to deal with this twice as long as you,” Kevin said, smiling and looking at his niece.

“She’d never be like this to me if my mom were still here,” Parker said. She knew her mother was a touchy subject, but she was mad enough not to care. Kevin surprisingly smiled and put his arm on Parker's shoulder.

“Man, you wouldn't have liked her. She was preppy, and sweet. Meanwhile, you…” he trailed off

"What?" Parker said, egging him on.

"I mean, you look like you're about to go to an Avenged Sevenfold concert" he joked. The two laughed and depressurized from the tension of the hotel room.

Parker looked at Kevin and noticed a tiny red streak of blood dripping from Kevin's arm to the ground. "You're bleeding" Parker said, astounded. She examined his injury with her eyes. She looked up at him with pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry" she said.

Kevin paused. "Hey, I have a cut from every single day you were alive" he exaggerated. Parker didn't find it very funny. "S-sorry" He faltered.

"It's okay. I'm just being sensitive." She said, turning to face away from him.

“Anyways... should we go to the orientation?” He asked, changing the subject.

“I guess. I mean I’m going to be there for half a year I might as well get a free dinner out of tonight. Maybe reek some havoc,” Parker said. Kevin laughed, and Parker joined in. He rubbed Parker's shoulder affectionately then moved his hand back into his pocket. Parker looked at his fresh cut slowly cauterizing. She shuttered at the idea of hurting him again.

Parker looked up to his face, the only blemish being the scar just above his lip. He got it  the day Parker was born.


	3. Chapter 3

Kevin was alone in a hospital room the night Parker was born. His sister had just given birth, and the doctors said she might not make it through the night. Kevin loved his sister like any little brother would, but he didn't want to blame the monster child that cut up his sisters insides. Kevin's mom and dad were waiting with Kim in a separate room. As much as Kevin wanted to see his sister in case something happened, he knew he couldn't handle seeing her that weak. 

Kevin peered over the plastic bin holding his new niece. 

She was red and purple and had a clip on her stomach. She was peacefully asleep.

Kevin moved closer to examine her hands. Some fingers were tiny little newborn fingers with water drop sized nails dotted on the ends of each finger. But some of them looked melded to metal, assorted weapons growing out of stumps ending at her knuckle. Kevin thought she looked terrifying.

But for some reason, he drew closer. He heard her breathe so quietly. Her tiny lungs quietly filling with air and blowing it out just as delicately. He turned his ear to listen to her yawn and exhale. He studied her until she woke up. She cried for a little bit, but he didn't dare touch her, not after what happened to his sister. She eventually calmed herself, and began to look at him. 

Kevin smiled at her, and even gave a little wave. 

Parker didn't smile back, she just stared. Parker studied him so intently. He could see her brain making new connections. He could see her learning. Kevin leaned close to hear her breathe again, but she lifted a hand and plunged her serrated fingers just under his left cheek. 

Kevin bled all over the baby, and she began to cry again as Kevin grabbed is face and swore profusely. 

That night, the hospital halls were stained with the shrieks of a mangled child and a monster. 

Later that night, after Kevin was bandaged and Kim was in recovery, Peg and Bill Boggs returned to see their new granddaughter.

“What should we name it?”

“HER,” Kevin corrected his mother from under his gauze in the corner of the room. “Quiet, Kevin, the doctor recommended you didn't speak.” Peg said while sitting down in an exasperated huff.

Bill, Kevin’s father, was holding the baby girl in one hand and dangling a piece of string just below her neck.

“Bill, don’t treat her like a cat,” Peg scolded.

“What, you think I’m just going to let her cut up my hand with those little fingers?” Bill replied, defensively.

There was a silence.

“So when do we get to see Kim?” Kevin asked with a rasp in his voice.

“She’s still in surgery… they won’t let her see us until tomorrow afternoon,” Peg told him.

“And me?” He continued.

Bill responded from his position in the polyester hospital chair, not tearing his eyes from the baby. “You’ll be coming home tonight,” he told Kevin.

Kevin scratched the bandage on his cheek, “It’s already four in the morning. I think the sun already rose.”

Peg tore away the plastic turquoise curtains to reveal a blinding orange haze filling the crisp, gray Florida sky. She fell back onto a hospital chair in exhaustion.

The family did return home that night, Kim three days later in a wheelchair she kept for four more years. Kim had had severe mental changes when she came home, and her mind was never the same.

The family got the hang of raising Parker in secret. Just as they finally felt their lives had leveled out again, Kim disappeared. There was no warning, she had taken nothing with her. The family had no idea why or where she could have been headed, but it was clear that she had given up on her daughter.


	4. Chapter 4

Kevin and Parker walked from the hotel and soon approached the lavish building that Parker would soon live in.  
The lining on the ground was a deep dark green marble with extensive and complex gold piping. The walls shimmered in sleek waves upward into a glass rotunda.  
There was a trellis marking the entryway, and giant pillars marking different wings of the building. The outside was peppered with tall grey stone turrets.  
Inside the giant rotunda, a short, sharply dressed old man was graciously welcoming people. Parker put her hands behind her back as she approached the bright eyed man.  
“Welcome, miss. Orientation is this way” He said as he held out one hand to shake hers and one to gesture to his left where soon to be students entered.  
Kevin quickly caught his hand and thanked him for being here. As they walked into the giant room, Parker looked up to Kevin with ‘Thank you' written on her face.  
Kevin did not look down to meet her eyes, but a gentle smirk spread across his face.  
Parker had basically considered Kevin a father. Peg was always embarrassed to engage with Parker, and Bill was always to vacant or absorbed in petty hobbies. That left Kevin to essentially give up his childhood to raise his niece.  
Kevin tried to show her that she was always a little different, but not in a bad way. He tried to show her that different is good, and that her abnormality was a gift. Though grateful for the kindness, Parker was never quite convinced.  
Their hospital bill for the night when Parker was born was much too costly for them to ever dream of fixing Parker's hands. Even if they could afford it, Peg would never want the attention. Not after Edward.  
Every Saturday, Kevin would convince his mother to let Parker out of the house. Peg would agree, as long as she promised to wear a pair of oven mitts. Every time, Parker would happily oblige, ignoring the strange looks people would give her. Better to look weird for having oven mitts on your hands than look weird for having knives for hands, she thought.   
It was the only day she was aloud outside, and her fair skin would always get burnt by the sun. Parker loved it, though. She loved the feeling of something there, something warm, something alive in her system.  
Being cooped up in her mothers’ old room had never been easy for Parker. Kevin tried to teach Parker all he could, but some things could only be taught by experience. Sure she could solve an equation and knew the motifs in Moby Dick, but she didn't know how to make friends or ride a bike or even check out at the grocery store.  
One day they would go to the park, another they would enjoy ice cream to escape the intense Florida heat. Regardless of what they did, Parker just loved spending time with the only person who had ever given her any empathy in the world.  
Kevin had admittedly given up part of his life when he chose to raise Parker. He was accused of being more effeminate, and accused of actually being the father. There was a theory that had to do with stealing the baby and killing his sister, and even that he was a pedophile and kept Parker as a prisoner. The last one was particularly hurtful.

But Parker was a perfectly content little girl. She loved running and laughing and playing, within the passion that her oven mitts would allow.  
The whole town would buzz about the pale girl with oven mitts over her hands and Kevin Boggs, the sweet little boy that had turned into a shadow. Despite the gossip, nothing was ever done to further investigate.

...

Kevin and Parker took a secluded corner seat in a high roofed hall in the wooden pews that sat perfectly parallel to one another. Parker noticed a cross, and dreaded the thought of having to go to church as part of the schools’ curriculum.  
The same man who welcomed them in had gone up to the center podium after students and families had settled into their seats. She had noticed that no one had talked to anyone besides their presumable families. She thought the school had become a worldwide gathering ground for shy anti socialists  
She liked that.  
As Parker smirked to herself, she skimmed the crowd as a veneer of ‘hush’s had eventually over dominated the clamor.  
“Welcome, everyone, thank you for coming to our school to be part of our first class of students. We are told that we have over two hundred fifty students with us tonight, plus parents." There was hesitant and scattered applause.  
“You must all know by now that this school is a school for irregular beings, human or not, and the houses are divided up by fives. There are dead, severely mutated, extraterrestrial, intelligent animals and plants, and other.”  
Parker figured the school had a catch. But with each ridiculous name she fought off the urge to laugh more and more.  
The man started calling names for the ‘Dead House’ and as more named were called, the more dead, dismembered, limping, and groaning children and their equally terrifying parents had walked up to the front of the room to be directed to the wing where they would reside.  
Parker grabbed her seat with a dopey smile of disbelief and whispered with entrancement, “Kevin, its Night of the Living Dead”  
Kevin looked uncomfortable. He was used to Parker, but not to zombies and ghosts. He nonchalantly turned to Parker.  
“Listen, according to my mom, this school is supposed to teach you how to be more normal. You'll be accepted by people here. You’ll be outside every day. No oven mitts, no judging, just you time,” Kevin told her. “Peg just didn’t tell you for some reason.”  
Parkers excitement turned into anger and frustration for not realizing sooner that the catch was that she would be taught how to be normal. “What the fuck?” She said, louder than she meant to. She received sneering looks from surrounding parents, and a snicker from a kid with one eye and scales. “Why would you do this, couldn’t you have told me?” Parker viciously hissed.  
“She told us not to!” Kevin told her, his puppy eyes displaying his fear.  
“She’s just trying to get rid of me.” Parker said dejectedly.  
“Well isn’t that better than living with a woman who hates you?”  
“What are you going to do, finish freshman year?”  
Their argument was interrupted by the headmaster calling up a familiar name.  
“…Parker Boggs, William Van Dort…” He called, reading from a flawless piece of white paper.  
“Come on” Parker said, standing up with a sigh.  
Kevin stood with a grunt, like an old man, and scooted sideways out of the pew.  
Parker joined a gathering of children and parents at the front. Soon after, a blonde woman with a fat face and a bleached smile lead them through the elaborately decorated, high ceilinged hall and down a long corridor.  
“Now this is where you will all be staying.” She told them as she led the silent group.  
The echo of her voice and the clacks of her heels were the only noise throughout the wing.  
Parker groaned at her artificiality and passed the time estimating how long it would take to find online pornography starring the blonde woman walking in front of her. ‘Ten minutes’ she soon concluded.  
As they were lead into a room at the end of the hall, there was a large, plush common room full of crimsons and silvers. There was a grand curtain covering a giant, arched, frosted window. There were two grey couches on each side of the room draped in blankets and pillows. In addition, knitted carpets led to small, white doors on either side of the room. She looked up to a large, rounded staircase and to two more identical white doors.

Parker wanted to say it looked like Hogwarts, but that would just be stupid.   
The blonde woman turned around and clasped her hands very happily.  
"Now Mary, your room is upstairs to the right and William to the left. Elizabeth and Vincent, since you’re siblings, you two will share that room over there,” She said, pointing to her left. Two skinny pale kids picked up their luggage and walked into their room. “And finally, Lorelei and Parker to the right.  
The families dispersed to their respective rooms. Mary appeared to be some sort of terrifying rag doll skeleton thing with a very lovely smile and ramshackle dress. William looked dead, but only half-dead, he looked grey and tired. Elizabeth and Vincent looked normal to Parker, despite their outfits suggesting they belonged in a portrait from the 18th century. The only thing making them look shockingly different was the giant fangs protruding from their top lips. Lorelei and Parker both looked like they needed to get in the sun more. the biggest discernment being that Lorelai had spindly gray hair, compared to Parker's mousy deep black with the same consistency of yarn.  
In addition to looking almost normal, she smelled of mildew, and had a bit of mold around the corner of her mouth.  
“You all are our smallest group, the ‘Other House’ and we hope you all enjoy. Just call the number in your room if you have any questions and feel free to start unpacking.” The blonde said as the kids and their insane looking clowns of parents dragged their luggage this way and that.  
“And remember, dinner is in a half hour.” She added before sashaying out of the room with the ugliest hip swish Parker had ever seen.  
Parker had noticed that Lorelei didn't have anyone with her and only a medium sized suitcase and duffel bag for the entire year.  
Parker, on the other hand had packed three giant cases of anything and everything she would need. Unfortunately, she left them in the hotel room.  
The room they went into had a less lavish look, especially compared to the rest of the lovely building.  
It was grey, and drab. White, thin curtains billowed around an open, second floor glass slider. The walls were a light, pastel blue, and complemented the bare, white mattress. It looked like a hotel room. Parker almost expected to see a pool out the window.  
“Kevin...” Parker asked, awkwardly turning around then bumping into Lorelei.  
She was taller than Parker, and held a monotone face as Parker started to blush.  
“Oh, sorry” Parker said, edging around her.  
Lorelei wordlessly nodded and smiled just as awkwardly as she walked into their room.  
“Kevin” Parker continued, meeting up to him conversing with a tall, pale man with dark circles under his eyes. “We need some necessities.”  
“Like..?” Kevin asked.  
“Bed sheets, for one. Oh also, I need my bags from the hotel.” Parker said.  
Kevin charged out of the common room. “I’ll be back in an hour.” He yelled.  
That left Parker in an awkward silence as she heard the hum of Lorelei’s music through her head phones.  
After a song or two, Lorelei got up from her sheetless mattress and paused her music to initiate conversation. She cleared her throat and inquired, “So what’s wrong with you?” In a quiet and raspy voice.  
Parker jerked her head into Lorelei’s glare. “What?”  
Lorelei slumped down with a knowing smile and pulled her over sized black sleeves up to her elbows. “I mean what made you ‘Other House’ at a school where every student qualifies as 'other' in the real world?” she asked.  
Parker laughed, mostly because she felt that if she didn’t, Lorelei’s stare would burrow into her skull.  
“Well in that case...” Parker held up her hands to show Lorelei, who displayed her first ounce of emotion to Parker by slightly raising her eye brows  
She shifted her weight on the twin mattress and closed her eyes. “At the risk of making a pun, that’s pretty fucking metal,” She calmly replied.  
Parker laughed, with a bit more genuine background, to which Lorelei smirked. She smiled that little smug half-smirk that people often do when they know something another doesn't.  
“Well, you may think that, but it sort of sucks to live with.”  
“No, I feel you.” She told her, shifting yet again.  
“So, what about you?” Parker asked.  
“Apparently, genetic inheritance is enough for both of us, ‘cause my dad gave me all me freakishness.” She told her, with that same closed mouth smirk that stretched out the area between her nose and top lip.  
“Same here, What’d you get?” Parker asked cautiously.  
Lorelei raised her hand and asked “You mind if I scare you a bit?”  
Not waiting for a response, Lorelei glided her hand softly through the air, which held an invisible puppet string pull the head phones off of her bed.  
The chord danced slowly through the air as Lorelei moved her hands simply, yet fluidly around it in midair. Her pointer finger twisted sharply, and the body of the ear phones twirled around, slowing as it lost propulsion.  
Lorelei let the charade falter and flicked her hands up, letting the headphones regain gravity. To finish it off, she caught them right at waist level with perfect timing.  
“I can also do a bunch of shit with dead things, ‘cause, believe it or not there’s an afterlife and it’s fucking disappointing. That is something you'll need to know in order to survive this place.” Lorelei said, is if something amazing didn’t just happen. Parker still sat stunned. Lorelei sat down in a slump leaning against the wall. “Are you scared?” She murmured just above a whisper, so as to attempt to scare her.  
It took her a moment to compose herself enough to actually say something. “Lorelei... that was awesome. I mean you should be a fake magician or something.” She imitated a chant of fans “‘cause people will be all Lorelei, Lorelei, Lorelei-”  
Just as she said that, Lorelei jumped from her bed and kissed Parker as she fell onto Parker.  
Parker didn't even have time to say no. It was like a force had possessed Lorelai and flung her at the nearest mouth.  
Lorelei pulled away and said in a monotone voice just above audibility. “Sorry, that’s just a thing that happens when people say my name three times.”  
She jumped off of Parker and hastily reclaimed her seat on her mattress just as she was. She didn't necessarily look embarrassed, just frustrated. Like this happens a lot.  
“Got that shit from my pops, too.” Lorelei said, blushing and doing awkward finger guns at Parker.  
“wh- why... kissing?” Parker questioned, blushing worse than Lorelei.  
“My mom was a pageant contestant who put out to win competitions. After she killed herself she met my dad. I don’t know exactly what my dad was, but he was something between a demon and a car salesman." She trailed off, consumed in thought. "The point is that he was ‘summoned’” She used air quotes, “When his name is said three consecutive times.” She gestured with her hands. “So, put a slutty fairy with a guy summoned when name is said three times, and you get a girl who kisses a person every time they say their name three times.”  
“Seems awful…” Parker said, absentmindedly brushing her flesh pointer finger across her lips.  
“Well we should probably get to… dinner…” Parker said, putting on her oven mitts.  
“Okay” Lorelei said, getting up with a sigh.

The two girls left the room, one right after the other, and shook off the awkwardness that hung thickly in their presence.


	5. Chapter 5

The two walked down the hall, their every footstep echoing back into their ears. Both girls were looking down with shoulders hunched, arms in and pigeon toes as they walked.  
Lorelei had her hands balled up in the pockets of her black sweatshirt that was five sizes too big.  
It took around seven minutes of awkward silence, and forty five seconds of awkward conversation as they disputed which way to go to get to the cafeteria.  
They made it, and it was a tall room made predominantly of dark and polished wood. Though at first look it was charming, there were small metal tables with imitation wooden tops which hurt the overall look.  
Weird little children were rocking around the benches and eating the trays of decadent food on each small table. The houses mostly sat with one another. Yet, the Other House was small enough to sit at one table alone. There was a separate area for parents and guardians to converse over the less lovely food.  
The headmaster quickly spoke just as the two girls met with the other children in their house.  
“Thank you everyone for joining us, we all hope you like the food,” There was an enthusiastic ‘woop’ among the children, and a less fervent mumble from the parents section.  
He continued. “So let’s get down to the black and white. School starts in three days, and it starts at eight o’ clock in the morning and ends at three o’ clock. There are six periods a day and we have signed you up for your elective classes based on your… abnormalities." The kids looked at him nervously.  
“For instance, say you look very odd, or very conspicuous in a crowd. We will have then signed you up for the class ‘Simple Disguising Tactics’ to help change an appearance so as to make one look a bit more normal. There are two electives which will not change over the semester..."  
He went on to say more of the schedule and the day to day life, as well as an excruciatingly long explanation of the school on a paper map projected on a screen.  
He also mentioned that there would be a homecoming ball three weeks after school starts, something that Parker would have loathed to go to.  
Once they finished dinner, they began to hand out uniforms.

Parker looked over at the long line of students from the the Deceased House, who were already rumored to have given themselves a nickname which was Already Gone, or AG. Parker already didn't like them, and thought that already gone was a stupid name. So far so good on everyone else, though. Deceased was the largest house by far, and most of the other houses were only a few dozen at most. 

Parker accidentally locked eyes with a tall, spidery looking boy in the AG line. He stared at her, stared at her hands, then turned to a friend and told his friend to look. Parker was used to this, but it still made her uncomfortable. She turned away and quickly put on her oven mitts.

Parker walked up to receive her uniform and was angry that her house had gotten the most garish color of all, which was a grey periwinkle.   
Each student was given four pairs of an identical matched set. Parker was not happy to see that she had to wear a skirt, since she would have to show off her scars from years of having scissors on her hands, resting at her legs. She had a jacket with big brass buttons that she knew she would never ever be able to fasten. The ladies also got unattractive black Mary Jane shoes. When Parker reached the desk, the person handing out uniforms left for a moment and came back with special Velcro shoes for her.

"Great." Parker thought. "Another way to get noticed the wrong way."

Men got brown-black loafers, slacks matching their house colors, and a jacket identical to the females' with white button-up shirts and black ties, but Parker didn't really care about that. She just sat down unhappily with her knew puddle of clothes.   
The outfits were being dispersed as Kevin came running in rolling two suitcases behind him and singing a black duffel behind his back, dragging a brand new twin bed set behind him.  
“PARKER??? WHERE ARE YOU??? I GOT THE STUFF YOU ASKED FOR,” he yelled out much louder than he intended.  
Parker quickly ran up to him.   
“Shhhhhut up!” She hissed at him as the crowd transformed into a sea of hushed murmurs.  
“Mrs. Boggs, would you like to escort your guardian to your room? Given that he is your guardian..." The blonde woman from before asked.  
“Of… course he is. He is my uncle,” Parker said, confused.  
There was a remarkable undertone of jeers and cat calls from all of the others.  
“Looks like that Other freak has a boyfriend!” Said the spidery kid from AG. They all hummed.  
“No I fucking do not!” Parker wanted to say. But she hadn't ever met kids. She didn't know if this was normal. She just shrunk.   
“Mrs. Boggs why don't you leave." Mrs. Goulding continued. She rested her hand on Parkers shoulder as a sign of kindness, but Parker flicked her away.   
“Yeah, Mrs. Boggs,” said a giant, hairy looking boy in line for uniforms. The students echoed.  
“Stop..." Parker whispered. It was all the bravery she could muster. 

Kevin didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't want to give the kids more reason to believe their relationship is inappropriate.

Parker started to cry, to the joy of the crowd of jeerers.   
Lorelei stood up and, in a flash, the spidery looking AG kid and a tall bearish looking boy holding crimson uniforms were hanging in the air like dolls. Lorelei guided her hands in strong movements as she shook them around.  
The two boys screamed in terror as Lorelei yelled “QUIT IT, FUCKERS!"  
She smashed her hands down as they plummeted to the floor and two sets of concerned parents came to the whining boys. A tall man with a stern face grabbed hold of Lorelei’s arm and dragged her out of the room.  
“Mrs. Boggs, please go unpack now,” The blonde woman said in a voice like if she had to ask again, she would hurt someone.   
The room was ablaze with murmurs as Parker and Kevin hauled up their lot and went back down the hall way.  
There was a continued silence between them, though it was filled with the unspoken agony Parker had inside of her and momentary hatred of Kevin.  
“…I’m sorry, Parker." He said. "I know it will be different-“  
“It’s never different, Kevin,” She said in a heartbreaking, but strong voice. “I always convince myself that I can be normal and okay but… that just won’t happen for people like me.”  
She stared numbly as they walked through the hallway, begging her insides not to let another tear slip out.  
She made it all the way to the common room and saying goodbye to Kevin before she laid herself down, dug her fingers into her arm, and cried.

. . .

  
Parker had, in the three hours in solitude, unpacked her duffel of clothes in the closet and made her bed in the standard cloth black comforter that Kevin had raced through Walmart to find for her.  
“I must say, he knows me well,” She mumbled to herself as she smoothed it down with her off-white oven mitt.  
The door opened slowly and slightly as Lorelei slid in with her head down.  
“The school has asked me to formally apologize to you for being embarrassing and bringing down the school as a whole,” Lorelei said, as though it was rehearsed.  
Parker stood up from her bed and awkwardly went to hug Lorelai. “Thank you.” Parker said with a smile.  
Lorelei responded by moving her arms up to hug her back, tightly.  
She whispered, “Play along, they’re  listening from behind the door.”  
Parker perked up and said, as though her voice were the auditory equivalent of cardboard, “Well ma’am, I greatly accept your apology and will be hoping this doesn’t happen again.”  
They waited a moment or two to her the common room door close to know that they are alone. The two girls giggled. 

"I can't believe that you had the guts to do that!" Parker said excitedly. 

"What can I say? You're my roomie." Lorelai said sheepishly. 

"How much trouble did you get into?" Parker asked, leaning in as if she could accidentally miss a detail. 

"The school decided that I should get a free pass, due to my 'unconventional upbringing'" Lorelai said. 

Parker didn't ask her to expand, but she knew that it didn't mean something good.   
“You mind if I change into my pajamas?” Lorelei asked.  
“No, I’ll go take a shower after I finish unpacking,” Parker said, as though they had been roommates forever.  
Parker had then seen Lorelei for the first time without her black sweatshirt.  
Her shirt seemed baggy as well, but in a different way, and her arms looked skinny and malnourished. She took off her shirt to reveal an A cup bra and a very pale and visible rib cage.  
Parker wanted to mention it, but she knew that Lorelei most likely lived with comments on her appearance. Parker of all people knew that unnecessary comments about look were not at all appreciated.  
Ever since she was a little kid, Parker had gotten little nicks from her fingers. It was horrible to live with the tiny bits of pain all the time, but soon she got numb, and began to crave it more and more.   
“Imagine that, a girl with blades for fingers with a depression and cutting disorder, I’m walking irony,” A fourteen year old Parker told Kevin.  
“How long has this been going on?” Kevin asked in the kind yet concerned father voice he used every so often while sitting on Parkers' bed back home in Florida.  
“Ever since I was about eleven” Parker told him, pulling down the shorts she had to conceal the cuts and scars, and crawling under her comforter.  
“Please, don’t do this. I’m asking you as a friend, not as a parent,” Kevin said, putting his hand on her arm.  
“You aren’t my parent," Parker said, rejecting his hand with a defensive shrug of her arm.  
Kevin looked down. “I know…” he said, “I just feel like I am, or the closest thing to it. I mean your grandma hates you, no offense,”  
“None taken, I hate her right back,” Parker said emotionlessly.  
He continued, “Your grandpa is always too distant or engrossed in something else to care, your mom is God knows where, so, I guess that has only left me,”

A moment passed, and Parker had a moment of clarity. "I'm glad." She told him. Parker smiled and leaned in to hug him. "I'm glad you're the only one left."  
Kevin hugged her back. "I love you, Parker." He told her with assurance.   
"I love you, too, Kevin."


	6. Chapter 6

Parker's first few days and nights were unlike her life at the Bogg's. She appreciated having an omnipresent care throughout the day which she had since lacked. Her independence had been replaced with a cushy, calm security, and Parker liked that.

Her newfound peace was completely foreign, and now that she was cared for, Parker felt rather restive. She was dependent, which, to her, was new and therefore terrifying.

"...and that is how you blend a paint to plaster onto your face. Now I'll hand out the odorless recipe for extra credit if any of you want to try it..." The large lecture hall echoed dully as professor Crow showed the children how his frightening jack-o-lantern head could be turned into a nearly human-looking object. Parker managed to tune in and out of the lecture, only taking it to learn to cover up her cuts, but instead, she found herself surrounded by non-human monsters. She did know someone else in the class, Mary, who only took it because she was a family friend of the professor. Parker didn't know this, of course, she just thought Mary had a crush on him.

Within minutes of Professor Crow's droning, class had ended, and it was Parker's time for lunch. She pulled on her oven gloves and slung her book bag over her shoulder as she walked down the hall. For the first few days, she had adjusted her thigh high socks about every three steps, but now she just let them fall.

Each house had a different lunch period, meaning that the Other House, due to its size, had a lunch filled with dead silence. Their lunch slot was early in the morning, just after the second of six classes, so everyone was still groggy. They only got seventeen minutes of lunch, then the rest of the hour was supposed to be for study and house bonding. Parker didn't like this, but the students just used it as lunch time anyways.

A small amount of clamor resonated through the large cafeteria as the six sat in an awkward lack of conversation, all at one table

"So how is everyone?" Asked the blonde woman, whom Parker had later identified as Mrs. Goulding, the Other House's head administrator. There was an awkward unanimous glare, and lack of response, at her.

"Fine." A small voice finally responded; William. Mrs. Goulding made no other attempt to talk to the group.

"Oh, our seventeen minutes are up. Time to mediate." She said a few minutes later, clapping her hands together as her phone alarm went off.

"Well I'm still gonna eat." Lorelei said, with a smug tone of voice. Lorelei joked in a way that you could stand to find funny, but you wouldn't express it, as you also find her intimidating.

Mrs. Goulding frowned, but didn't fight her remark, seeing how she knew how easy it would be for Lorelei to snap Mrs. Goulding’s fat little neck. Victor smirked and eyed Lorelei endearingly.

"Actually, Mrs. Goulding, I need to go get my papers for next period." Said Mary, sheepishly.

"Mary, you were supposed to bring it with your books in the morning" Mrs. Goulding told her, disappointed.

"Oh, no, I remembered, but John- professor Crow took it from me." She told her, completely straight faced.

Mrs. Goulding looked shocked, but Mary quickly corrected her.

"John and I know each other…" She explained, almost like she was defending him.

"Regardless, that is extremely inappropriate for him to do." Mrs. Goulding told her.

"I mean he could be doing worse..." muttered Lorelei.

Mrs. Goulding’s eyes widened "Lorelei you've already gotten in trouble four times this year. Please do not make assumptions such as that." She told her. No matter how angry she was, she always managed to talk in an overly formal tone

"I mean these slutty little socks make the suggestiveness of our age all the more seductive." she responded, turning Ms. Goulding's face red with anger.

Parker chuckled as she looked down and shook her head. Getting a look for Ms. Goulding, she lost her smile and had another bite of her sandwich.

Lorelei looked at her and winked. Jokingly, she growled and gritted her teeth "You know you want it Parker" she said. Parker stifled more giggles.

Mrs. Goulding had overflowed with rage, in a fit, she threatened, " If you two make one more suggestion to hommosexuality, i'll send you to detention!"

Parker paused, and so did Lorelei, though she was the first to respond.

"This school is homophobic?" Lorelei asked.

"We are not homophobic, ladies," Ms. Gouding began, in a soft tone, "the adinistration highly encourages a religious belief system where homosexuality is far from tolerated."

"So... the school is homophobic?" Victor chimed in.

"Girls, we just don't appreciate homosexuality. The Bible says it is wrong." Mrs. Goulding admitted, regretlessly.

After a pause, Lorelei began to speak, decided against it, and huffed out of the cafeteria.

With that, Parker followed Lorelei, silently heading to their third class as the bell echoed behind them.

...

"Really? They're homophobic?" Parker complained as she paced the room with Lorelei sitting on her bed.

"And they're the worst kind, too! They're the ones that force their belief on you,Lorelei chimed in.

Parker was pacing and huffing in a fit she didn't even realize she was having.

"Whoa, hey, calm down." Lorelei stood up to stop Parker from pacing.

Parker sat down in a steaming huff, wiping away tears.

"I don't know why I ever let them to me to this damn school" Parker said as she angrily go out her pajamas.

"Peg only wants me out of the house so she doesn't have to deal with me." She continued.

"Who's peg?" Lorelei asked as she followed Parker in the undressing.

"She's my grandma, never cared about me a day in my life" Parker said as she stripped down to a white tank top and underwear.

"Are you crying?" Lorelei asked. She actually meant to be sincere, but, as with almost everything she said, it came out as ridicule.

"Yes, okay? I'm sorry that I'm a human who cries" Parker spat out to Lorelei.

Lorelei sat on the edge of Parker's bed and signed. "I want to help you," she said.

After a pause, a whimper escaped Parker. "I'm sorry, it's just been overwhelming to adjust and I'm angry about lunch today and I miss Kevin,"

Lorelei hugged her roommate. "I'll help you, you'll be fine," she reassured.

"I'm sorry you miss your dad" Lorelei comforted as she stood uup to put on her sweatpants.

Parker laughed, her tears were drying, “Kevin isn't my dad, he is my full time uncle. The only one who ever gave a damn about me in my whole life" she said, laying down.

"Hey, you've met some friends since you got here, right?" Lorelei asked, a bit disappointed.

"Oh, yeah of course" Parker said. "I like that William kid, never spoke a word to me... or anyone, besides Mrs. Goulding earlier today." Parker realized. "And Mary seems pretty cool," she continued.

"Hey, you know who I want to get to know more? Victor. He's pretty snarky, I like that" Lorelei told Parker.

"Oh yeah? Do you like him?" Parker joked.

Lorelei lightly tossed a pillow at Parker. "I don't really know how to break this to you, but... well I mean, why do you think i was so angry about the school being homophobic?"

Parker quickly figured it out. "Oh. Well, is it safe to have us in the same room? I might seduce you!" Parker told her jokingly. Lorelei blushed. "Stop it! God, I knew I shouldn't have told you." she said, turning away. Parker couldn't tell if her anger was genuine or fake.

"I'm sorry, did I offend you?" Parker asked. Lorelei turned back to face her, "No, its just... I've never told anyone and it's hard to tell if people are okay with it or not.

Parker went to sit with her on Lorelei's bed. "I'm fine with it. More than fine, actually."

"What does that mean?" Lorelei asked with a smile.

"Uh...nothing..." Parker equivocated clumsily, her face growing red.

Lorelei tried to move closer to Parker, but she scooted away, then quickly regained her spot on her own bed. Lorelei cursed herself for being so awkward.

Parker, after a few moments of silence, began to speak."Lorelei." She said once. She had gotten Lorelei's attention. As Lorelei had turned her head, Parker said again,"Lorelei." Lorelei was aware of what she was trying to do, and stood up in the middle of their room. Parker, losing confidence straightened up as Lorelei stepped near her, and Parker whispered it one more time, "..Lorelei." With that, Lorelei smacked her hand across Parker's face the instant it was out of Parker's mouth. Lorelei's hand made a fantastic 'WHAP' as it met with Parker's cheek.

"What the fuck?!" Parker said, putting her wrist up to her reddening face. "Oh my God, i'm so sorry. Sometimes it's not a kiss it's a slap I'm sorry that happens sometimes," Lorelei told her as Parker fought doubling over in pain. Lorelei grabbed her and laid her on the covers.

"Look I'm sorry" she said sincerely. "I mean this happens when your mom is a slut and your dad is a violent conman, so I've been told," Lorelei rambled.

After a moment, Parker recovered and sarcastically responded, "I don't know, I think it needs a kiss to feel better." She glanced up at Lorelei, who then sighed and leaned down to give Parker a simple little cheek kiss.

As Lorelei pulled away, the two looked at each other again, and Lorelei pressed her delicate mouth into Parker's. Parker exhaled as Lorelei cautiously got on top of her. Lorelei smoothed her arms all around Parker's waist, while Parker had put her hands out so as not to hurt her. Eventually, the need to feel her became overwhelming and Parker grazed her flesh fingers across Lorelei's back. The two had nearly melted into each other and did not let the kiss break for minutes. The feeling was intoxicating, and the two were reddening as they let out their longing into the hot air.

Lorelei slid her hands up Parker's stomach and under her fitting tank top and she kissed Parker's neck. Parker shook her head and pushed Lorelei off of her.

"I still don't know anything about this..." Parker confessed and Lorelei, of course, understood crystal clear.

"I can teach you" Lorelei said, sitting cross legged on the bed next to Parker. "First of all" she continued "I need a bit more tongue, and less spit."

Parker wiped her mouth with her wrist as she leaned in. The kiss was simple and slow, and rather than being blinded by passion, the two could focus on each other; where to place what, how it felt; the technique.

Lorelei pulled away, smiling. "Better. Again?" She asked. Parker nodded sheepishly and leaned in again. Lorelei moved Parker downward, and Parker kissed her cheek.

"Kiss my neck," Lorelei told her. Parker did as she commanded, and lightly kissed up and down Lorelei's jaw and collar.

"Parker, it’s okay to move your hands to my body" Lorelei told her.

Parker sat up "I just don't want to hurt you with the... the blades." Lorelei looked at Parker with empathy and smiled softly. She took Parker's hands in hers, both knew that Parker's serrated pinky was cutting up the inside of Lorelei's finger, yet she did not break her gaze. Parker tried to pull away, but Lorelei just held on tighter, hurting herself more

"Parker, it’s okay" Lorelei murmured. She looked down briefly, then back up at Parker's expecting expression. "I'm used to pain. What's a couple of scrape ups to me?," she told her. Lorelei tilted Parker's chin up softly, and as lights went out all across the school, she began to kiss Parker again.


End file.
